Mrs Kovac?
by Earthling
Summary: A mysterious woman appears in ER, claiming to be Luca's wife. Could it be true? *Finished*
1. Default Chapter

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
"Excuse me?"   
Elizabeth glanced up to see the young girl, very pregnant and obviously in a lot of pain. She was breathing hard, her long chesnut hair falling in her face as she puffed each breath out.   
"Are you alright?" Elizabeth asked. The girl nodded.   
"I'm....looking....for my....husband" she stammered, "I....I think....something's wrong" Elizabeth rounded the counter and put a hand to the girl's abdomend. Something was definately wrong.   
"Where's your husband? Was he admitted here?" she asked, hoping he would have more information.  
"No...no...he's...a doctor...here" the girl answered. Elizabeth had never seen the girl before, but perhaps she meant he was a doctor somewhere upstairs.  
"Alright, what's his name, I'll have him paged" she said, starting to help the girl walk toward a room.  
"Luca....Luca Kovac" Elizabeth stopped.   
"What did you say?"   
"Ria!" Abby hurried down the hall from the other direction, "Ria, what's wrong?" She seemed very concerned.  
"Abby, do you know this girl?" Elizabeth asked.  
"Yes. Find Luca, tell him Ria's here. And get me Carter!" she ordered Elizabeth.   
"She said she was Luca's wife" Elizabeth objected.  
"I know...just find him!" Just then Carter emerged from nowhere.  
"Abby, what's going on?" he asked, rushing over, "Ria? Ria, honey, where does it hurt?" The girl could say nothing, all of her concentration was on breathing and staying upright.   
"Let's get her into a room" Carter said, and he and Abby managed to help her walk to a private room and get her down on the bed while Elizabeth went in search of Luca.   
"Abby?" her meek voice inquired as she opened her eyes. Abby went to her head while Carter started examining her swollen stomach.  
"I'm here, Ria. Ria, you have to tell me what happened. Did you fall? Did you stop breathing, and fall?" Abby asked gently. Ria's head rolled from side to side as another contraction tore over her.  
"Ria! Ria, you have to answer me! Come on!" Abby urged.   
"There's internal hemoraging" Carter announced.  
"Yes...I.....lost my...balance....on the stairs...." Ria whispered. Abby moved away to help Carter.  
"She said she fell on the stairs" she told him. Just then Luca burst through the door, out of breath and soaking wet.   
"Ria!" he cried as he went to her head. She opened her eyes and squeezed them shut again as pain ripped through her.  
"I'm here, Ria. I'm going to help you!" He moved down to where Carter was working.   
"Did she say what happened?" he asked, quickly pulling gloves on.  
"She said she stopped breathing and fell down some steps" Abby answered.  
"There's internal hemoraging, Luca" Carter told him.  
"Damn! Hold on Ria! Hold on!" 


	2. The Woman on the Side of the Road

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
Author's Note: If the title name is still wrong..sorry. I was working on politics history...you understand. This is a flashback type of thing.   
  
Luca turned the corner, immersed in his own thoughts. A war raged within him, but that was nothing new these days. He tried desperately to remember the girl who sat beside him's name. Jenny or Jessie or Leslie or something like that. He wondered how he had got to this point, picking nameless girls up at bars for the night. What happened to the thought of getting married, having kids?   
Jenny (or Jessie or Leslie) was laughing about something she'd said. He smiled at her and forced a chuckle. Inwardly he sighed, wondering if he could just pull over and push her out. He glanced out the window. There on the sidewalk, in a small circle of light from the streetlamp, a girl was kneeling on the dirty and wet cement, clutching her stomach. Luca slowed down. She looked like she may be pregnant, and was obviously hurting. He slowed even more.  
"Hey, what're we doing?" Jenny asked.   
"There's a girl out there. She looks hurt" he answered, pulling into an empty lot to turn around.  
"So?"   
"I'm a doctor. It's my job to help people, remember?" Luca reminded her, trying to remind himself. That was why he became a doctor, wasn't it? To help people? And here was a girl who needed help. He knew it was a vain and vallant effort, concoted by his desperate soul, to try to reignite those fires that used to fuel his ambitions, the clean, healthy fires. The ones that were barely hot coles now.  
"So call someone to go help her. We're on our way to have some FUN, remember that doctor?" Jenny asked, reaching over to caress his thigh.  
"By then it may be to late" he said slowly, pulling over. The girl was still there, thank goodness. Jenny snapped her hand back.   
"Fine. I'll just go find someone else to play with" she yapped and slammed the door as she got out of the car. Luca ignored her and moved to the girl.  
"Hi" he said quietly. She looked up, tears running down her cheeks.  
"I'm a doctor" he said slowly, "Do you need help?"   
"Sure.....you're...a..doctor" she answered in pained breaths.   
"Do you want my license?" Luca quipped, putting his hand on her stomach. She was definately pregnant.  
"How far along are you?" he asked, still probing with his hands.   
"About five months" she answered, her voice a little less cracked.  
"Do you know what happened?" he asked, helping her to her feet.   
"No" she said, "I was just walking and....ah!" she crumpled back to the ground as new pain hit her.  
"Alright, come on" he said, lifting her up and carrying her to his car, "I'm taking you to the emergency room where I work" She made no objections, though Luca doubted she could've just then. The pain seemed to subside a little, only to hit her again.  
"What's your name?" he asked while he drove, hoping to keep her mind off of it.  
"Ria" she answered, "What's yours?"   
"Luca" he answered.  
"Inter....interesting name" she said, "European?"  
"No. I'm from Iwoa" he joked and she laughed a pained laugh.  
"Oh, don't. Laughing hurts" she cried.   
"Alright, try to relax, we're almost there" he tried to calm her. His minds had lost their gloomy dimness to be replaced by concern for the poor girl. She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a silent gasp, just as he splashed his way up to the ER door. He ran around to help her out, just as Carter and Abby came out.   
"Luca, what're you doing here?" Abby asked. Luca didn't know if their shift was over or not, but he needed help.  
"Help me." he said, "She may be having a sudden abortion"   
"What?!" the girl cried as he lifted her up.  
"Do you know what happened?" Carter asked, he and Abby following Luca back in.   
"No, I found her on the side of the road" Luca answered. He pushed his way through the waiting people to a room and layed her on the bed.   
"I'll get a sonogram" Abby said and hurried out to find one. Nurses hurried in and Carter and Luca were putting gloves on.   
"You found her on the side of the road?" Carter asked, amazement filling his voice.   
"Yes. Her name is Ria." Ria screamed just then and the two doctors had their hands full trying to figure out what was wrong with her. Then her breathing stopped and she stilled.  
"What's going on?" Carter yelled.   
"I don't know. She just stopped breathing!" Luca cried. Then, suddenly and for no reason, she started breathing again, deep, pained breaths.  
"What the hell is going on?" he muttered to himself. 


	3. Waking Up

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
Ria woke up suddenly. She shut her eyes against the bright light above her.   
"You're awake" Luca said. She turned her head to look at him.   
"What happened?" she asked. Luca sat down next to her on the bed. He didn't know exactly what to tell her. They had no idea what had been wrong with her. There had been slight internal bleeding, but no obvious reason for it.  
"We don't know. We were hoping you could tell us that" he answered. She shut her eyes.  
" I don't know" she exhaled, "I was walking, and all the sudden there was a sharp pain in my stomach. I just kept walking until I couldn't anymore"  
"Do you have any medical history we should know about?" he asked. He was beginning to really worry about her. WHY? He asked himself. He'd barely just met her, but he felt very drawn to her, very protective of her.   
"Yes. I have breathing problems." she answered softly.   
"What kind?" he pushed. She seemed very tired, but he needed to have this information.   
"Don't know. I just....stop breathing sometimes. Usually when I'm sleeping. I had medicine for it, but.....I......I don't have the money to pay for it anymore" Her eyes flashed open and her hands moved over her stomach.  
"My baby?"   
"It's fine." Luca said reassuringly, "There's nothing wrong at all." He smiled briefly at her, wondering about her. How she had come to be walking down an empty street at night, where the father of her baby might be, why she couldn't pay for what seemed to be a necessary prescription.   
"You can leave in about half an hour if you want" he told her. She nodded sleepily.  
"Thank you" she mumbled. He got up to go, she obviously needed her sleep, but her hand reached out and grabbed his arm. He looked back down at her and saw she was still staring at him.  
"Really. You didn't have to stop and help me, but you did. I don't know what I can do to thank you for that". Luca smiled and caressed her cheek.  
"Get better, em?" 


	4. Taking Her Home

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
Luca saw her walking away from the hospital. She was moving slowly, holding her worn coat tight against the drizzling rain.   
"Ria!" he shouted and jogged to catch up with her. She stopped and turned around.  
"Luca?"   
"Let me give you a ride" he offered, but she just shook her head.  
"It's pouring and that's not good for you right now. Come on, I don't mind" He thought for a moment she was going to refuse again, but then she nodded.   
"Thank you again" she said after they had gotten on the road, "It seems I am mounting up quite a debt to you"   
"You don't owe me anything" Luca told her, "I'm a doctor, it's my job"  
"I think it was more than you're job that made you stop to help me" she said softly. Luca chanced a glance at her. Her hair was soaked from her short sojourn into the rain and it hung in clumps around her face. Her eyes seemed to be a violet color with tourquoise streaks, like nothing he'd seen before. They were set under finely arched eyebrows and above high cheek bones that were covered in perhaps just a tad too much flesh, probably due to her pregnancy. Her nose wasn't small, nore finely chisled, but it fit her face and brought the eyes down to her full lips, which were perfectly shaped. She was regaining color and Luca saw that her skin was usually very lightly tanned, blushed just on the crest of her cheeks. He thought she was beautiful, but it wasn't just an external beauty. She excuded a sense of serinity and kindness, and he again wondered what unfair circumstances had brought her to the position she was now in.   
"Oh? What do you think it was then?" he asked. She just smiled serenly.  
"Hmmm. Not anything so careless as fate or coincidence" she finally answered. Luca knew she must be talking about some higher power, God, but he found the notion all too intriguing. He usually didn't have much to say to those who were overtly religious, but he found the fact that she had an appearingly deep faith very attractive and drawing.   
"Maybe" he murmered, remember the dark mood he had been contemplating when he saw her. "Maybe" Niether of them said anything for the rest of the trip, except for the rare directions Ria offered. He had a chance to think, but he didn't take advantage of it. He just drove, feeling her presence next to him.   
"It's there, on the right" she said finally and he pulled over. He squinted through the rain, but all he saw was a church looming beyond the sidewalk.   
"This is where you stay?" he asked. She tensed up slightly next to him.  
"I know the priest here. He lets me stay in one of the back rooms at night" she answered. She moved for the handle, and a great panic over took Luca.  
"Wait!" he objected. He didn't know what he was thinking, except that he couldn't let her out of his sight.  
" Someone should be there to watch you while you sleep. You said you sometimes stop breathing. You shouldn't be by yourself, at least not tonight, or for a while even" She turned back to him, questions alight in her eyes, but she said nothing for a moment.  
"And what would you propose? I have no where else to go, and no one to go to. It's this or the streets, and you must admit that something is better than nothing" she finally answered.   
"You can stay with me" Luca offered quickly.   
"What?" she laughed, but Luca could see the wariness in her eyes. He pondered why he'd made the offer too, but could find no logical answer. She stopped and looked at him more closely.  
"Please, I'm not trying to take advantage of you or anything like that" he said desprately, "I just don't want you to be alone tonight"   
"You don't want me to be alone, or you don't want you to be alone?" she inquired, one of those arched eyebrows raising in an even higher arch.   
"Maybe a little of both" Luca admitted, "But I..."  
"Don't worry about it" she interrupted, "I can see it on your face." He wondered what she could see on his face, but didn't say anything as she hadn't made another move to get out of the car. He waited what seemed like an eternity for her to make up her mind. He forced himself to look forward, out through the rain, and not stare at her while she thought.  
"Okay." she agreed softly. He glanced at her, but said nothing. She settled back in the chair and put her seatbelt on as he turned the key in the ignition. 


	5. Time for Sleeping

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
He opened the door and let her follow him in. He flipped the lights to the kitchenette on and sat her bag down on the counter. She stood behind him, taking in his apartment.  
"Nice digs" she said. Rain pelted against the window and Luca wondered what he was going to do with her now. It was very late, he could see the pink of the sunrise starting to hint on the horizen beyond the skyrisers of Chicago.   
"Do you want something to drink, or eat?" he asked, opening the refridgerator and pulling out a bottle of water.   
"No" she answered absently, her hand trailing on the back of his leather couch as she walked across the small room. She went to the window and started staring out of it, saying nothing. She looked like a dream to Luca, standing against the rainy window, her profile revealing the slight swell in her stomach and the early early early morning light just barely touching her face and hair. He put the water back in the fridge.   
"Come with me" he said, and picked up her bag. He started moving up the stairs, then waited for her to follow. In his bedroom, he dumped her bag on his bed and stood, rubbing his hands on his pants, not exactly sure what to say next.  
"Um..the bathroom's just there. And...uh..." She smiled at him paitently, and he felt stupid. He suddenly wondered what on earth had ever made him bring her home.   
"You have something to sleep in?" he asked. She nodded and picked up her bag. As she closed the door to the bathroom behind her, Luca collapsed on his bed. He rubbed his face, but found no enlightenment came to him. He started to wonder what kindo f mess he'd gotten himself into now. As he pulled on his own pajamas, he listened for any sign of difficulty in the bathroom. He turned the TV on, hoping to distract himself with the early morning jabber, but found it impossible to pay attention when she came out, wearing baggy sleeping pants and a t-shirt that snagged on her belly.   
"Um...you can sleep in the bed" he said, motioning towards that particular piece of furniture. She didn't move though.  
"Where are you going to sleep?"  
"Um...I'll sleep on the couch" he answered, turning the TV off. She still didn't move.   
"But I thought you said someone needed to monitor my sleeping, in case I stop breathing" He wondered now if she was the one trying to get him in bed. He shook the thought from his head as ridiculous. He knew, somehow, that she was really just concerned about something, probably the child she was carrying in her small body. She was short, the top of her head just reaching his chest. He suddenly wondered how old she was, but didn't think it was right to ask just now.   
"Uh..yeah. Well, I'll sleep on the floor in here then, if it's okay with you" he answered.   
"I can sleep on the floor" she offered, starting to pull a pillow off the bed.   
"No, I think you should take the bed" he objected, "You're the pregnant one. It's okay, I don't mind"  
"Well I mind." she said stoutly, surprising Luca, "It's your bed and just because you saved some pitiful female doesn't mean you should be deprived of your comfort."  
"You're not a pitiful female" he said right away, worried she was getting the wrong idea. She just smiled.  
"Of course I'm not. It was an aphorism" Luca had no idea what she was talking about, but it didn't matter.   
"Look, if it really bothers you that much, I'll sleep in the bed. But so will you" he said. She didn't frown or object, but she didn't smile or agree. She just stood there, looking at him as if he were the Mona Lisa and she a great art historian or something. She suddenly turned and climbed into the bed. She was asleep before Luca could ask if that was an agreement or not. 


	6. Staying on a While

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
His alarm clock started ringing in his ear and he batted at it. He missed, but the ringing stopped none the less. He moaned appreciativly and rolled over. The other side of his bed was cold, but he couldn't remember why that wasn't right. He heard a door click. Suddenly he sat up straight. Ria. Where was Ria? He jumped out of bed threw open the door. He could see her in the kitchen, doing something at the stove.   
"Good morning" she said brightly, "Or rather, good afternoon. I suppose working the night shift is odd" He realxed as he realized she wasn't hurt, or worse, gone. He came down the stairs slowly.  
"It's not really. You get used to it." He stood behind her, looking over her head at what she was preparing, "What're you making?"   
"White sauce. I hope you like chicken and pasta" she answered brightly, pouring in a can of mushrooms.   
"You don't have to make me food" he told her gently, thinking she probably felt she owed him something.   
"And you don't have to eat it" she replied. He laughed and went upstairs to take a shower. When he came back down, a delicious looking plate of chicken and pasta in mushroom sauce awaited him on the table. Ria was already eating.   
"It's still hot" she told him as he took a bite.  
"It's wonderful" he said sincerly. She laughed and kept eating. Luca wondered what she was thinking, and then wondered what he was thinking.   
"What time do you go to work?" she asked absently.   
"Um...I have to be in at eight" he answered. She glanced at the clock and, seeing it was about six, nodded.  
"Okay, I can be ready by then" she said. His head snapped up.  
"Ready for what?"  
"To go, of course. Unless you want a pregnant woman in your bed again tonight"  
" I do" This time it was her turn to stop eating and snap her head up.   
"Oh?"   
"I.....I still don't think you should be by yourself. I think you should stay for at least another couple days" he answered, lowering his head again so he wouldn't have to look at her. He could feel her eyes drilling holes in his head and wondered what she saw there, because he sure didn't know what was going on in his head. Finally she went back to eating.  
"Hey, it's your place. You just let me know when you want me to go, and I'm gone" she answered. Luca wondered when he might be willing to let her leave, and then he wondered why he'd used the word "willing". 


	7. Delicate Questions

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
Luca thought it might be time to ask some delicate questions. He looked at Ria, sitting across from him at the table, spooling dripping pasta into her mouth. She looked so happy. He was loathe spoil her good mood, but there were things he had to know.  
"Ria is an odd name" he said. He wanted to start with something ambiguous.  
"Gabriella" she replied, "It's really Gabriella. But everyone's always called me Ria"   
"Do you have a last name?" he asked, looking at his food, hoping if he didn't make eye contact she wouldn't bristle up.   
" Scott" she said, "Sorry, guess I never told you did I? My name is Ria Scott, and you are Luca..."  
"Kovak"  
"Kovak? Where exactly are you from?"  
"Croatia" She made a sound to acknowledge his answer but said nothing more. Luca staved himself for the reaction he was likely to get next.  
"Ria. How...how did this....all...happen?" he asked. It wasn't the best phrasing, but he couldn't think of a better way to put it. She put her fork down and just looked at him. He looked up at her.   
"That's a long story" she said simply. He could tell she didn't want to say anything more about it just now. He wasn't sure if he should press her or not.   
" I'm over eighteen if you want to know" she said, picking her fork back up again, " Actually I'm 25. And no, I'm not from Chicago so if you want to check up on that you wouldn't have anywhere to begin to look"   
"I belive you" he told her. She looked back up at him.  
"Good. That's good" 


	8. A Breathing Ria

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
Luca rolled over. Something wasn't right. There was something missing.  
"Ria!" He knelt on the bed over her. She wasn't breathing. He took her pulse, it was slowing. Her mouth was slightly ajar, but she looked perfectly normal.  
"Ria! Breath! Come on! Wake up! Breath!" he yelled over her. Suddenly she arched up, bucking him off the bed, and he heard her suck in a deep breath. He climbed back up on the bed. She didn't look as if she had even woken up.  
"Did it scare you?" he heard her whisper. He didn't know if she was really awake until she opened an eye.   
"Yes" he replied, crawling back under the covers.  
"Sorry" she whispered and was asleep again. Luca made up his mind to pry what kind of medication she needed out of her, and then get it. He didn't know if he could stand another night, or more, of this kind of panic. 


	9. Waitressing

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
AN: This is after a couple weeks. They've gotten into a kind of routine in which Ria makes "breakfast", Luca goes to work, and Ria has "dinner" waiting when he gets home. He never asks her what she does all day, but he leaves money for her to get groceries.   
  
Luca came in, flopped his stuff on the couch. Ria jumped up and hugged him.  
"Thank God you're home!" she cried, "I'm starving!" Soft music was playing in the background, nothing of Luca's.  
"What is that playing?" he asked as he took a seat.  
"Enya" Ria answered. Luca wondered where she had gotten it, then noticed she was wearing a new outfit, something different from the two she had had when he firts brought her home.   
"You're wearing something new" he answered, "Where'd you get it?"  
"K-Mart" she answered, eyeing him, "I didn't steal anything from you, if that's what you're thinking"  
"I trust you" he said, "So where did you get the money?" He knew it sounded bad, but he needed to know. He still knew so little about her.  
"I have a job, if you must know" she answered. Luca dropped his fork and it clattered on his plate. He stared at her. She wasn't more than six months along, but her belly was already protruding so greatly he didn't see how she could even move around in his apartment. How could she have a job? What could she possibly do? She said she was 25, but what kind of skill could she have if she had previously lived in a Church?  
"Doing what?" he asked, not trying to hide his amazement.   
"Waitressing." she said, trying to pretend that it was no big deal, but Luca could see through that. It hurt her pride.  
"Ria...you can't do a job like that" he told her, reaching for her free hand across the table, "It's too stressful"  
"Well it's something, which is better than nothing, need I remind you" she replied, her familiar defenses coming up, "No one wanted to hire me. I'd just go on maternatiy leave soon, and besides having no place of residence, or mailing address, or money...." Rain started coming down outside, reminding Luca of the night they'd met. She looked so fragile and vulnerable that night. That image had been washed away during the past two weeks, replaced with a self reliable, proud, witty, intelligent woman, but that vulnerablity was there again now. Something had happened to turn her into something she should never have been.  
"I don't want you to work" he said firmly, wondering why he cared so much, "If you really need the money, I'll give it to you" Now it was her turn to gape at him.  
"You can't! I won't let you!" she erupted.  
"Why the hell not?" Luca shouted back, knowing in the back of his head it was probably just hormones churning inside her.  
"Becuase....because.....because I've already taken so much from you, damn it!" she yelled and got up from the table. She stomped across the room to stare out the window at the dark night, washed in rain. Luca sighed heavily and went to her. He stood behind her, not touching her.  
" You're not taking anything" he told her, "I'm giving it to you" He could hear her soft crying and he pulled her into his arms. He wondered what he was doing, what he was thinking, but he knew it felt right to have her in his arms. He ran a hand through her soft curls of chesnut hair, starting to feel warm tears soak through his shirt.  
"Why don't you tell me what happened?" 


	10. Ryan

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
"It was like my entire life just shattered" Ria said softly. Her head was resting on Luca's lap, and she was staring up at the ceiling as she told him what had happened.   
"You couldn't find him?" Luca asked. She'd just got done telling him all about "Ryan". She was a psychologist, which surprised him considering how very young she was, but she said she started college a year early and just kept working until she was done, a year ago. She'd immediately set up her own practice, a lofty ambition for someone so young and inexperienced, but Luca had no doubts that she would have succeeded.   
"No" she harumphed, "I don't know if that was even his real name. I got the divorce papers in the mail. At least he did that for me" She'd met "Ryan" after college, at a renuion at the orphanage she'd grown up in. He told her he was an orphan too, and that he was a bioengineer. They started dating and after about six months he'd asked her to marry him. Caught up in the whirl wind of having her own family, her own practice, she'd accepted and they were married the next week. He encouraged her to put his name on all of her accounts, telling her he'd done the same. And a week after their marriage, he was gone, with all her money and none of her debt. She had had just enough money to pay for her back rent and expendures after she'd sold her practice, which left her with absolutely nothing. No house, no money and no job. Finding she was pregnant, she'd run to the Church to help her, but her parish was a poor one, and all they could offer was a cot in the back room, and a little food money, which she gratefully took. She'd started out looking for jobs as a psychatrist, but no one wanted a girl with no home and no experience. So she'd gone from interview to interview for five months, until Luca had found her.   
Luca didn't know what to say. He could only imagine the hells she'd suffered through and the heartache they must've caused. But even though he knew she'd been in pain, she still held her resilant spirit. She was all that she had been, and maybe a bit more wise, a bit more worldly, and a lot more hurt. He didn't understand where his feelings were coming from, or going to. He felt that if this "Ryan" had been standing there now, he'd have beat him close to death, and not have felt a tiny bit sorry for it. He was close to sobbing himself for the unfairness of the pain she'd been put through, and more than anything he wanted to protect her, and kiss her. Kiss her? Where did that come from?   
"Am I stupid, Luca?" she cried, ripping him from his thoughts, "Am I so dumb I couldn't see through him? What am I saying? Of course I am, look at me, look at what's happened! I must be the singularly dafftest person on the face of this planet!" Fresh tears were pouring from her eyes, and Luca wondered if she'd ever cried before.  
"No, no" he said soothingly, wiping the tears from her face, "You're not stupid. Men like that are perfect liars, they can fool anyone. It wasn't you" Her crying decreased, but Luca wasn't worried about the tears. He was worried about her soul. 


	11. All is Calm

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
Luca tossed in the bed. He'd had a bad day, but not because of anything that had happened. It had been weeks since Ria's revelation, but he'd hardly been able to think of anything else.   
"What's up with you?" Carter had asked earlier that day.  
"Nothing, why?" Luca had replied.   
"You're always running off, you don't talk to people anymore."   
"I just have a lot on my mind" Luca walked away before Carter could ask any more questions. But Abby had asked the same thing. What was wrong with him?  
Ria made a noise beside him, and he was instantly alert. Was she breathing normally? Yes. Luca sighed, and rolled over again. He couldn't sleep.   
"What on earth is wrong with you?" a quiet voice asked. Ria was awake.  
"I can't sleep" he told her tightly. She propped herself up on her elbow.   
"Oh. Do you want me to sing you a lulaby?" she asked. Luca laughed.  
"A lulaby?"  
"It always works. One of the elderly keepers at the home used to sing it to me and when I was older I used it on the younger children"   
"Okay. Whatever" Luca agreed bemusedly. He closed his eyes and waited. She started humming, a Christmas song, Silent Night. She brushed a single finger across his cheek, over and over again, and he finally felt himself relaxing. Then she started singing.  
"Silent Night. Holy Night. All is calm...all is bright....round yon virign...mother and child...." Her voice was like that of an angel. It would have shocked him to alertness again, if she hadn't been singing so softly and brushing her finger across his cheek. He started to drift off to sleep, listening to what he was sure was a saving angel from heaven.  
"All is calm.....all is bright....." 


	12. Love

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
Days, weeks, passed. Whenever anyone asked him to do something, he'd say he couldn't and whenever they asked why, he'd pretend not to hear them, or he'd say he had to get home for something. And with each day, Ria grew on him more and more. She laughed, almost constantly, and she seemed to understand everything about him. She made him meals that were so good he couldn't remember how he'd managed before. He loved listening to her talk, watching her cook, or just sitting around, doing nothing together. On the rare occasions she'd let him take her out, she drew the attention of every male in eye sight, and quite a few women too, and he was proud of her, and happy with himself. He watched as her child grew, and delighted in the times she allowed him to participate in preparing for it's arrival, which she was doing more and more.   
Then, one night, laying in bed with his arms wrapped tightly around her, as he'd grown accomstomed to, he realized. He loved her. 


	13. French Braids

The Alternate Daughter  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
"Luca, where are you going?" Weaver yelled at him across the room.   
"I have to go home!" he yelled back.  
"We need you here! We've got a pile up coming in!" Weaver yelled back, "You can't go, now!" Luca growled with frustration. Ria was waiting him at home. It had taken hime the better part of three days to convince her to let him take her somewhere fancy, then another three days trying to convince her to go buy something nice for herself to wear. He had made reservations and he couldn't be late.   
"I can't stay, Kerry!" he argued.   
"You have to" Weaver said quietly, pushing past him and going out to the ambulences that were just ariving. Luca growled again, and followed her.   
*Later, while working over a paitent*  
"Damn it, close that up!" Luca yelled at one of the nurses.   
"Losing his pulse again!" Abby announced. This was the third victim of the pile up Luca had worked on. They'd lost him twice already.  
"No pulse!" Abby announced.   
"Damn!" Luca cursed again, taking the paddles from her, "Clear!" But the shock did nothing to the man's heart.  
"Clear!" Luca yelled again, but still nothing.   
"Call it" Abby told him. Luca threw the paddles at her.   
"Fine. Time of death...shit."   
"What?"   
"Nothing. Time of Death, 1:08 am" Luca threw his gloves in the container and stoormed back to the locker room. Abby followed him.  
"What is wrong with you? You're been so secretive the past couple months, it's like your hiding something illegal" Luca tried to calm himself down. He was upset but there was no need to take it out on Abby. As he reflected on that thought, he came to the conclusion that Ria had had much more of an influence on him than he'd thought.  
"It's nothing, Abby, really" he said, putting his coat on, "I had an appointment for something, and now it's too late to go. But I can reschedual it for tomorrow or something" He could see Abby wanted to know what kind of appointment it was, that she didn't quite believe that he wasn't doing something "wrong". He touched her arm as he passed her.   
"Don't worry, it's nothing illegal" he told her and left. He wished he'd had time to call Ria earlier, but he didn't want to call her now in case she was sleeping. But when he opened the door to the apartment, she was there waiting for him. He was surprised to see she wasn't all dolled up, she wasn't mad, she just smiled warmly at him as he came in.  
"Oh good, you're home" she said, handing him a glass of wine, "Are you okay?"   
"Yes. A pile up came in and I had to stay late. I'm so sorry" he apologized, pecking her on her forehead.  
"That's okay, I figured something like that had happened" she answered, " I didn't have time to make a nice meal, but I think there's some left over spagetti in the fridge. You want me to heat it up?"   
"No." Luca answered, putting his still full wine glass down, "I just want to go to bed" She nodded, carefully poured the wine back into the bottle, and followed him up. He watched as she tried to french braid her hair, as she did every night. It never came out just right, and it always pricked her pride.   
"Here" he said, pulling her hands away and taking the locks of hair himself, "Let me do it for you"  
"You can french braid?" she asked amusedly, standing still so he could work.   
"Yes. I learned a long time ago. Danjela liked her hair french braided" he said absently, weaving the silky curls in and out of each other.  
"Danjela?" she repeated softly. Luca suddenly realized what he'd said.   
"Yes" he replied, slowing in his work. After all, if he was going to do this much, he'd better tell her.   
"She was my wife, in Croatia. She died with our two children a little over ten years ago, in a building bombing" he told her. She didn't move, didn't answer, just kept that somehow knowing silence she had sometimes. Luca kept working with her hair. It was very long.  
"I'm sorry" she said finally.  
"So was I" he said lightly, finishing her braid. He twisted the rubber band around the end slowly. As he let the long thick braid fall to her back, she turned, ever so slightly, and then more, and more, until she was finally facing him. He looked down into her upraised face, into those violet eyes so serene, so calm, so loving. He could see in them the universe, and it was a happy one. As he gazed deep into those eyes, a sort of peace came over him, and his lips touched hers. 


	14. A Modest Proposal

Mrs. Kovak?  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
  
"Well, now that you have me here, Doctor, what do you plan to do with me?" Secret delight glittered in Ria's eyes. Luka couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. He stomach had expanded quite a bit, she was now 27 weeks, but it only heightened her beauty. She was wearing a simple dark green gown, that just reached her knees, and the sole piece of jewlry she owned, a crystal pegasus on a thin silver chain. She had even gone as far as to apply a thin ray of green across her eyelids, which drew out the tourquoise in those amazing violet eyes. She had argued against going out somewhere so nice, but Luka could tell she was thouroughly enjoying herself. He was too. He was surprised to find he wasn't nervous at all, as he'd expected to be, despite the fact that the whole thing could blow up in his face. A waiter brought their food, and he decided to wait until later to reveal his surprise.   
"You'll just have to wait and see" he replied with a smile. Ria laughed.  
"Oh, the suspense!" she mocked, "I'll simply die any moment!" She laughed again and the sound of it was like a balm on Luka's heart. No, no, there was nothing to be nervous about.   
The meal passed well. Ria became more jovial as the time passed, and Luka was certainly having fun. When the waiter came to take their plates away, Luka reached in his pocket and drew out a small item.   
"Ria?" Ria stopped and looked up. He saw her expression change, from carefree fun, to that serene knowing look she got sometimes. Luka wondered if she could see right through him, then decided it was more like seeing into him. She didn't say anything, just waited. He wondered for a second if she knew what he was going to ask, but he couldn't figure out how she would. He'd never even voiced the question in his head.  
"Ria, will you marry me?" All sound in the restuaraunt stopped, or seemed to. Luka opened the small box that held a ring, not a diamon, but rather a saphire set between two emeralds. His world shrank to the size of the table, and he waited for one of the two words that could shatter it. But she said nothing, She was surprised, he could tell. That calm mask of serenity had been disturbed when he'd asked. She just looked at him.   
"I don't know" she said finally. Luka didn't know what kind of answer that was. She took the ring and looked at it, gave it back without saying a word. The waiter came, politely ignored the ring sitting in the middle of the table, chuckled at Ria's joke and left again. She seemed to have forgotten the question had even been asked. Luka couldn't understand it, but then, he understood little about Ria, intelectually at least. She continued to joke around, laughing and having fun as if nothing had ever happened. He couldn' t help himself but be drawn into her bliss, despite the naggin question in the back of his mind. They got home late, or early, and he braided her hair for her. He was about to fall asleep, still wondering what she would answer, when she made a slight sound, then said:  
"Yes" 


	15. Witnesses

Mrs. Kovak?  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
"Abby, Carter, I've been looking for you" Luka said, as he entered the locker room. Abby and Carter looked like they might have been having an arguement, but they stopped and turned to listen to him.   
"I'm I interrupting?  
"Yes" "No" They answered at the same time.   
"What is it, Luka?" Abby asked, throwing an annoyed look Carter's way. Luka took a deep breath. This was more unnerving than asking Ria to marry him. He had once been close to these people, but he seemed somehow more distant than ever before now. He was worried about how they might react. He suddenly wondered if he was insane.   
"I wondered it you two might do me a big favor" he started, then stopped, not sure how to word something like this.   
"Sure, Luka, what is it?" Carter replied, wondering what in the world Luka could need from both he and Abby.  
"I want you to be the witnesses for my wedding" he pushed out in one breath. He could clearly see the stunned amazement on both their faces.  
"You're wedding?" Carter asked.  
"Who're you marrying?" Abby wanted to know, "Do we know her, I mean, when did you meet? How did you meet? How..where...married?"  
"Yes you met her" Luka started, "Her name is Ria, Gabriella Scott, but Ria. I brought her in about two months ago, she was suffering from abdomenal hemoraging"  
"The girl you picked up on the road?" Carter stared. Luka nodded.   
"I took her home"   
"You took her home!" Abby nearly shouted, then whispered, "You took her home!"  
"She was living in a church! She could have stopped breathing again and no one would have been there to help her"   
"Luka...."  
"I know, I know. But listen. I love her. And she already said yes"  
"Luka do you even know anything about her? I mean...she could be anyone" Carter said, not nearly as upset about the news as Abby.   
"Of course I know about her. I'm not stupid" Abby and Carter exchanged a glance that said they might want to contest with that.  
"Look, come over for dinner tonight and meet her. You'll understand then. Please? She's already expecting us"  
"Why are you asking us? You could just get official witnessess" Carter said, standing up and preparing to go back out to work.   
"Ria doesn't want strangers. She doesn't really know anyone here, so she asked me to ask some friends. It's very important to her. She's Catholic" Luka told them. Carter sighed.  
"Alright. We'll come. After work?" Luka nodded.  
"Thank you" he said and left. 


	16. Dinner

Mrs. Kovak?  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
Luka filled them in on Ria's past before they got to the door. They remained skeptical, but didn't voice any more doubts.   
"Ah, you're here, and someone's followed you home!" Ria joked when they walked in. She looked nice, but casual, in jeans and one of his plain black t-shirts.   
"Yes, can we keep them?" he laughed, kissing her on the cheek. Behind him Carter and Abby exchanged another look.  
"Hi! I'm Abby" she said and extended her hand. Ria took it in her own. Abby found herself looking into her eyes and feeling a lot less nervous.  
"I'm Ria. And you must be Carter" she shifted her attention to her other guest.  
"John Carter, yeah" he smiled, experiencing the same kind of tension release Abby did.   
"I hope you two like chicken and pasta" Ria said as they moved into the kitchenette, "Because it's my favorite" Abby and Carter chuckled as they all took their places. The kitchenette was a little cramped, but nobody was uncomfortable.   
"We don't have any wine, but we do have sparkling red grape juice, if you're interested" Ria wiggled her eyebrows, "It's even better than the real stuff" Abby got a kick out of that as Ria filled her glass. Ria kept them laughing all night, while still answering all their questions about her, and alieving them of their fears. By the time they were ready to go, Abby and Carter were quite certain they hadn't had as much fun in a very long time. Luka walked them out to the hallway.  
"So?"  
"She is great" Carter said.  
"She is really nice" Abby added.   
"So?" Luka reiterated.  
"I'd be happy to be your best man, Luka Kovak" Carter smiled, and clapped Luka on the back, "Congratulations"  
"Abby?"  
"I'm in too" she answered with a smile.  
"Thank you" Luka told them, "This will mean so much to Ria" He went back inside and found Ria trying to put one of the wine glasses away. He took it from her and slipped it back on the correct shelf.  
"Well?"  
"They'll do it" 


	17. Mr and Mrs Kovac

Mrs. Kovak?  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
Luka tugged at his collar.  
"Calm down" Carter said from behind him, "It's just your wedding" There was no one else in the candel lit church. The priest, Fr. Jim, stood on the alter, waiting for Ria to come down the aisle just like Luka was. Fr. Jim, as he prefered, was a younger priest, and had been delighted when Ria had told him she was getting married. He had been the one to provide shelter in the back of the church for her, and he'd known her for some years now as she was a regular parishiner of his church. He'd tried, at first, to tell her she had to wait the manditory 6 months the Church usually required before sanctioning a marriage, but Ria had been insistent, and he'd finally written for a special liscence from the Bishop. It was turned down. So, Ria went up to see the Bishop. Luka hadn't been there, so he had no idea what she said, but she came back with permission. That was 10 days ago. It was only a few weeks ago he'd asked her to marry him, and he couldn't believe it. It seemed like a hundred.   
"Hey, here she comes" Carter's voice said. The single guitarist they'd hired started playing, and Luka looked up the aisle. Abby started down, in a dark green dress that Ria had picked out. Luka was nearly stunned by the fact that Abby was wearing a dress. She made it all the way to the alter and then they all faced the back of the church once again as the Bride made her entrance. Ria was wreathed in candle light, making her look simply angelic. She'd gone for a simple white dress that complimented her increasingly large stomach. She worse no vail, so the soft candle light high lighted her chesnut hair and made her lightly tanned skin glow. Luka grew calmer and more estatic the closer she drew. Then she was there, gazing into him again, and he took her hand in his.  
"Dearly beloved," 


	18. Ailleen Maria

Mrs. Kovak?  
The following story is under the sole ownership and copyright of J.L. Scott. Unauthorized copying and/or use is actionable in a court of law.   
  
To borrow a phrase: ER no mine, no permission, no money, no sue...please?  
  
AN: This is back in the "present". Refresher: Ria's fallen down some stairs and gone into labor. ( She's 34 weeks, three days so it's safe) Last we saw, there was some trouble and Carter and Luka were trying to fix it. This is after the baby's been delievered, and Ria's passed out. Luka's waiting for her to wake up.  
  
He stared at her, glowing even though she looked terrible, if that was possible for Ria. He was amazed at how she had come through, bearing he pain he could never even imagine. He knew the reward, however, was worth all the pain. He gazed down at their daughter, asleep in his arms. Yes, she was their daughter, no matter that he hadn't been the one to help create her. She was still rather red and wrinkely, but he could think of no other word for her than exquiset. She was perfect in every way, from her furrowed brow to her tiny toes.   
"Luka?" a small voice sounded from the bed. The proud father grinned at his wife.   
"Look" he said very quietly, handing the child to her mother, "Look what you've done" He could have cried at the sheer joy and amazment that showed on Ria's face. She did cry.  
"Oh! Look how perfect she is!"  
"You do everything perfect" Luka told her, kissing the top of her head.   
"Oh Luka!" Ria sighed, glancing at him before returning her full attention to her exquiset daughter, "I.....I can't even put it in words!" Luka balanced himself on the edge of the bed and put an arm around his wife.   
"What are you going to name her?" he asked quietly.   
"Ailleen" Ria answered just as quietly, awe still heavy in her voice, "Ailleen Maria"  
  
  
  
AN: Look for the next story with Ria and Luka, coming soon! 


End file.
